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SupportingtheCensus&ACS:AToolkitforCoalition-Building- HowStateandLocalVoicesCan
MakeaDifferenceMarch2,2016
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AfreepublicationisnowavailableonTheCensusProjectwebsitetohelpbuildalocalstakeholdercoalitiontosupportcensusdata.
A Toolkit for Coalition-Building
Engaginglocalvoicesiseasy.
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Toolkit Contents
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Building an Effective Local CoalitionORGANIZE• Getup-to-speedandstayinformed http://www.thecensusproject.org/• Chooseanindividualororganizationtoleadandcoordinatethecoalition• Createasteeringcommittee,boardofdirectors,oradvisoryboard• Chooseanameforyourcoalition• Createamissionstatement• Determineyour legalstatusandpotentialsourcesoffunding, ifappropriate
Yourmissionstatement:• Keepitshortandsimple• Makeitrelevanttostakeholdersand
lawmakers• Describewhyaccurate, timelycensusand
ACSdataareimportant toyourstateandcommunities
Checklist:BuildinganEffectiveLocalCensusCoalition
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Building an Effective Local Coalition
OUTREACH• Starttobuildthecoalition
• Makethe“ask”fororganizationsandindividuals tobecomecensusdatasupporters
• Geography
• Business and economic development
• Local units of government
• NGOs – Nonprofits, foundations, and the faith community
• Civil rights organizations
• Newsmakers
BuildingBlocksforanEffectiveState-LevelCoalition
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The MACS ModelMinnesotans for the American Community Survey
• Founded in2013inresponsetochallengestotheACSinCongress• Grewfrom12to100membersbetweenMarch&year-end2013• Over150organizationalandindividual supportersnow
• Relationshipsdevelopedwithall10MNcongressionaloffices• StaffinbothD.C.anddistrictoffices&meetingswithmembers• Lawmakerstookactionin2014and2015topreserveandfundcensus
datainboth theHouseandSenate.7of10areactivesupporters!
• MACSMission:ToeducateMinnesota’scongressionaldelegationandthepublicabouttheimportanceofconsistent,reliableACScensusdataforahealthyeconomyandtoimprovethewell-beingofallMinnesotans.
Constituent voices matter
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Managing a Coalition; Advancing the Work
• Setpriorities• Makepolicystatements• Encourageactionbystakeholders• Encourageactionbylawmakers
• Workwithnationalpartners
• Createinformationmaterials
• Goodcommunication isessential• Leveragetechnology– website,social
media,contacts• Internalcommunicationskeep
everyoneinformed &engaged• Externalcommunications tellyour
story
TechnicalTools
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Managing a Coalition; Advancing the Work
• Continue toengagelocalsupportersandpartners• Makeiteasytoact• Leveragesupporters’
congressional contacts• Anticipatefrequentlyasked
questions
• Leveragethesteeringcommittee/board’snetworkandexpertise
• Engagethemedia– thepressisabigconsumerofcensusandACSdata
Knowingwhentoact
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Your Primary Goal: Educating Members of Congress
• Identifylawmakers’intereststhatareilluminatedbycensusdata
• Gettoknowcongressional staff
• ArrangemeetingswithstaffintheDistrictandWashingtonoffices, ifconvenient
• Keepstaffmembersinformed aboutlegislativeactivitiesthataffectthecensusandACS.
Sampleemailrequestingameetingwithacongressionaloffice
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What do lawmakers hear about the ACS and census?
“Theprimarymission oftheRespondentAdvocateistoadvocateforrespondentsinallmattersrelatedtoCensus surveysandcensuses.”
Isthissurveylegit?Isita
scam?
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Alternative Models for Supporting Census Data
• Sector-BasedCoalition• Partnersandcolleaguesinyour
existingnetwork,industry,orsector
• TargetingCongressionalCommittees• Appropriations Committees• Authorizing/Oversight Committees
• RapidResponseStrategy• Hybridcoalitionacrossstates,sectors,
andinterests.
“Big7”- stateandlocalgovernment
LeadershipConferenceonCivilandHumanRights
BusinessCommunity
Bringactionstothestateandlocallevel
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Conclusion
• Constituents rarelymentionsupport forcensusdatatomembersofCongress.Yet,censusdataareusedwidelyacrossallsectorsofeverylawmaker’sdistrictandstate.
• Congressholds thepowerto:• provideadequateandtimelyfunds forthe2020CensusandACS.• maintaintheACSasamandatorysurvey.
• ConstituentsmattertomembersofCongress– yourvoicehasimpact.
Imagine…. if5-10censusstakeholdersineverycongressionaldistrictinformedtheirmemberofCongressandbothsenatorsthatcensusdataandtheACSarecriticallyimportanttotheirlocaleconomyandthewell-beingofall,censusdatawouldhavemuchstronger support inCongress.
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Get started. It’s easy!
Local voices can change this outcome.
Questions?Comments?
Downloadyourfreecopyof
“SupportingtheCensus&AmericanCommunitySurvey:AToolkitforCoalition-Building”
athttp://www.thecensusproject.org/
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Thankyouforattendingtoday’sAPDU/CensusProjectWebinar
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SupportingtheCensus&ACS:AToolkitforCoalition-Building- HowStateandLocalVoicesCanMakea
DifferenceMarch2,2016
HostBrendanBuff,AssociationofPublicDataUsersIntroductionWarrenBrown,President,AssociationofPublicDataUsersPresenters• PhilSparks,Co-Director,TheCensusProject• JoanNaymark,ExecutiveDirector,MACS– Minnesotansforthe
AmericanCommunitySurvey